Christmas Antics
by Gothic984
Summary: It's the most exasperating time of year for Lucas and Gail, making it difficult for them to adhere to their duties.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Better Dig Two.

It was a cold December evening in Trinity South Carolina, a icy sharp wind blew through the trees causing Christmas lights to rattle and a heavy rain befell the Town.

Lucas Buck forced a charming smile as he stood at the front of the class, glancing around at the excited children dressed in costumes. He was reminded of how much he hated this time of year and the falseness he had to project; however, when his eyes fell on Caleb and the boy stared back unimpressed through his Christmas pudding costume, Lucas had to hold back his laughter.

'Now remember, you all practised your lines and your parent's will be out there watching...well everyone but yours Caleb' Selena said in a sweet tone, with an underlining cattiness.

'Or Josh's' Caleb replied defensively and shrugged off the sharp intakes of breath all around him.

'Now, let's not lose sight of our Christmas spirit here' Lucas stepped in, feigning interest. 'Caleb's my boy now and I'll be watching both him and Josh proudly'

Selena turned to Lucas and shook her head in irritation, she hated his happy family routine and had hoped to at least throw Caleb off his game with her comment.

'Careful Teacher' Lucas leaned in close and whispered in her ear. 'My wife takes threats to our family even more seriously than I do and neither of us have any reason to hold back with you'

Selena gulped hard and forced a smile for the class, then signalled for them to head towards the gymnasium to take their places and followed close behind them.

Caleb held back and shook his head at his Teacher when she left. 'Did I do somethin' wrong to Josh?' he asked when Lucas came up beside him.

'Defendin' yourself when someone tries to bully you ain't wrong son, Josh will have to toughen up if he wants to get by in this world' Lucas shrugged, then signalled for Caleb to follow the others down the corridor.

'Do I have to do this?' he asked sulkily, as he waddled down the overly bright corridor with his Father.

Lucas bit his lip to hide his amusement as his son struggled to walk normally and tried to remain serious. 'Your family is here to watch you on stage, sometimes you gotta do stuff you're uncomfortable with please others' he explained.

'You wouldn't' Caleb said knowingly.

'I'm Lucas Buck son, now get on in there' Lucas laughed, then found his way to the stage.

The gymnasium was filled with approximately 100 people, looking to watch the abysmal plays that he was introducing. Usually this tedious task irritated him; however, with Caleb being involved this year he was actually looking forward to it.

Lucas waited for the Principle's speech to be over, then walked on the stage confidently to a round of applause when he was introduced. He waved at his townspeople and smiled charmingly at the old women dotted about the crowd, before searching the front row for his family and winking at his wife who had the Mayors Widow sat beside her.

'It's been a hell of a year ain't it?' Lucas smiled and waited for the applause to die down before he addressed the crowd fully. 'Now, these youngun's have worked very hard to bring us some entertainment tonight, hell I even have one up here this year...I know you all will join me and my family in this proud moment to celebrate their talent, I can't wait to see what the kids have in store for us. Break a leg!' he called to the children behind the curtain and left the stage to sit beside Gail.

'Proud moment? He's dressed as a pudding' Gail whispered in disbelief, as she leaned in close and laughed.

Lucas wrapped his arm around her and smiled. 'But he's our puddin'' he said, trying to keep a serious tone then laughed himself and pulled her closer.

Gail glanced over her shoulder and searched the crowd, then smiled and waved when she spotted Merlyn sat with Matt. Caleb did not want to perform for anybody; however, this was part of his childhood and they all had to do it at one time or another. It was nice that they had all made an effort to support him and she hoped he realised that.

The show lasted two hours as each class took their turn in acting out a short story. Each class exited the stage to a roar of applause, as everyone showed their appreciation to the children for having the courage to get up on stage and the atmosphere was buzzing with unity.

When Selena sauntered onto the stage, there was a murmur of quiet insults from several women and Gail rolled her eyes at disgust at them all. Selena stood tall on the stage and appeared unfazed by the whispers; however, Gail sensed the true impact of the hurtful words and shot the women around her a disapproving glance for bringing such bitterness to a children's show. She leaned back into Lucas and smiled to herself when the women decided to be silent.

Selena introduced her class and Mary gripped Gail's arm tight when Josh stepped out in a pilgrim outfit. She had been supporting Mary as much as possible, due to her participation in the death of the Mayor and she placed a reassuring hand over hers while they watched Josh proudly. Although he had not long lost his Father, Josh was the narrator of this play and kept his cool throughout the show. The room remained quiet for his parts, out of respect for his loss and Josh appeared the be handling the situation well.

When the other children came out and Caleb waddled on stage in his costume, Gail could not contain her laughter. She attempted to hide her reaction by resting her head on Lucas' chest; however, she caught sight of Caleb's unimpressed look and waved at him apologetically.

Lucas stood up when Caleb's class had finished and walked back up to the podium. He took Caleb by the arm and dragged him to the front with him, then placed his arm around him proudly. 'How about another round of applause for our brave kid's, weren't they amazing?' he asked to the crowd and everyone gave a standing ovation.

Caleb glanced up at Lucas and shook his head disapprovingly, for making him come to the front. He knew his Father was enjoying this and he was not happy to be the joke.

Lucas smiled down at him and gave him a wink, then squeezed his shoulder playfully. 'Seen as you've all been so good tonight, my lovely wife has organised a party for adults and children alike down at the Town Hall. Feel free to get your fill of free grub and presents before y'all head off home' he advised the crowd, then signalled for Caleb to go and dispose of his costume in any manner he saw fit.

Gail held her hand up to acknowledge the well wishes of the people around her for her generosity and leaned in closer to Mary, in the hopes of being left alone.

'Maybe you should run for Mayor' Mary joked bitterly.

Gail rolled her eyes at the comment, then stood up and took Luke out of his buggy when people started to leave the gymnasium. 'Go get Josh and take him to the Town Hall, it'll do you both some good to get back around people'

Mary let out a long sigh, then stood up and went to find Josh. She had been avoiding people since John had died and she supposed this was the time of year to accept people into her life.

Lucas came down from the stage and kissed Luke softly on the forehead, before turning to Gail and spotting her unimpressed look. 'Somethin' I said?' he asked amused, knowing exactly what was bothering her.

'You'll have no problems with re-election for life now being to dutiful family man, so why do you feel the need to throw me into the spotlight?' she asked irritated.

'Did you not organise this party?' he asked sarcastically.

'Because you couldn't be bothered to and for the children who may not have wanted to go home to their crappy families. Do me a favour and don't make me out to be Mother Teresa' Gail sighed, then headed out of the building with Luke to find Merlyn.

Caleb jumped down from the stage and caught sight of Gail exiting the gymnasium. 'Did I do somethin'?' he asked confused, hoping he was not in trouble.

Lucas laughed and shook his head. 'She just don't like bein' the peoples Princess' he advised amused, then signalled Caleb to follow him to his car.

* * *

Now that they were out of the public eye Lucas sat back in the front passenger seat police cruiser, with Ben Healy driving and stared in disgust at the lights hanging around the places that they passed. He had always hated this time of year, if it was not the religious zealots trying to claim the holiday it was the overly festive attention seekers who felt the need to spread the Christmas cheer. The last two years had not been so bad with having Caleb and Gail to entertain him; however, this time of year still left a bad taste in his mouth.

It was hard to be in the position he was and pretend the behaviour of the people around him was acceptable. Take Ben, he had been harping on for most of the day about having to figure out what presents to get for his family. Usually Lucas would nip this waste of his time in the bud; however, as it was the holiday season, he was required to show some empathy and understanding.

'...I mean how do you buy for a 1 year old? The girl don't even know what time of day it is until she's fed! But no, Rita expects the perfect gift for her when she don't even talk yet' Ben continued, oblivious to the fact that Lucas did not care.

'Can't you just get her a doll? Merly liked her doll when she was little' Caleb suggested from the back seat, looking up from his homework book.

Lucas looked at his eldest through the rear view mirror and shot him a playful wink. 'Or you could just feign ignorance and let Rita take control...works for me' Lucas smiled devilishly, then signalled for Ben to turn right.

Ben thought for a moment, then laughed. 'Are you kiddin'? She'd have my balls if she thought I didn't wanna help' he said irritated, then shot Caleb an apologetic look through the rear view mirror for his language. 'Don't Gail get mad at you for leavin' it to her?'

Lucas laughed and shook his head. 'She hates this time of year as much as I do, she's happy to take the lead on certain things to ensure it get's done quickly and efficiently. If I started hoverin' around her when she was plannin', then I'd feel her wrath'

'I don't know what y'all are harpin' on about, I love Christmas' Caleb stated, then turned his attention back to his homework.

Ben continued driving down the long road and let out a long sigh. 'Ben Jr loves Christmas, shame I don't get to see him until after it's over'

'Well it's about time we fixed that don't you think?' Lucas asked, happy for a task to take his mind off the festive season.

Ben took a sharp intake of breath when Lucas showed interest in his situation and shook his head. 'Nah, there ain't nothin' to fix' he started.

'A son should be with his Daddy' Caleb chimed in, not looking up from his book and smiled when he sensed his Fathers approval at his comment.

'The boy's right, it's about time you started considerin' what your son is actually gettin' from Barbara Joy and Hook' Lucas advised, amused at what he did to Barbara Joy's husband when he challenged Ben.

Ben began to get anxious and felt his heart pounding in his chest, he really did not want Lucas to get involved with his family and he did not know how to stop this. Before he had a chance to comment, Floyd's voice came over the radio and Ben let out a relieved sigh. 'Ben here, what's up Floyd?' he asked, picking up the radio.

'Are you anywhere near Jackson's Pharmaceuticals? There's a report of a robbery and I only just sat down to eat my burger'

Lucas shook his head at the incompetence of his staff and took the radio off Ben. 'Well heaven forbid we interrupt your dinner Floyd, I guess we'll head over there with the young boy we have in the car at the end of our shift...Buck out' Lucas said bluntly, then turned off the radio before Floyd could respond.

'We gonna arrest a bad guy?' Caleb asked excitedly, finally closing his book.

Lucas glanced at him through the rear view mirror and shot him a devilish smile. 'Only if you can keep it as our little secret' he warned and ignored Ben's disapproving glance.

Caleb knew exactly what Lucas was referring to and laughed. 'I promise I won't tell Gail, now come on!' he smiled and stared excitedly out of the window, looking out for the scene of the crime.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Gail lay comfortably on the couch in their main Study after managing to sneak away from the crowd earlier, engrossed in a book about pagan rituals. She had developed an unhealthy obsession with anything relating to the occult and although she was overdue in putting up their Christmas decorations, she had gotten bored half way through the task and had picked up her book instead.

Luke lay happily on a large mat in front of the fireplace, playing with some gold tinsel. Gideon lay protectively between him and the fireplace, as Luke had started learning how to crawl and Rocky lay next to the baby to ensure he stayed where he was required. Gail glanced at her pets and how well they were with Luke, they were all one big happy family and if it was just them that she had to worry about everything would be perfect.

She had expected Lucas to be home by now with Caleb, until she had received a call from Caleb to advise they had stopped off for some materials to assist with his homework. Gail sensed the lie immediately; however, she was nowhere near finished with the decorating and was happy for the extra time to complete the task. It was unfortunate that she had chosen to pour herself a glass of wine and sit down, rather than continuing with the task at hand. Now she was on her third glass and could not tear herself away from her book.

Gideon's loud bark caught her attention and she placed her book on the coffee table beside her, then went to Luke and held him protectively to her chest. Gideon began growling, then relaxed when Rita knocked on the door to the Study before slowly entering.

'It's just me, the door was open and Ben told me you'd be home. I didn't want to make you get up, I hope it's alright that I let myself in' Rita explained, glancing nervously at Gideon who was barring his teeth at her.

Gail knelt down and stroked Gideon reassuringly, then forced a smile and signalled for Rita to enter. 'I was so distracted with my book I didn't hear you come in. It's alright, would you like a drink?'

Rita glanced at the glass of wine on the coffee table and nodded. 'With the day I'm havin' I'll happily drink what you're havin'' she smiled and placed Lucy down carefully on the couch. 'I thought you'd be out minglin' with the people at your shindig down at the Town Hall'

Gail came back with the open bottle of wine and a clean glass, she signalled for Rita to help herself and stared around the room at all the decorations abandoned on the floor. 'Mary's got that and as you can see, I have plenty of other things to do...This house is so damn big, how am I expected to do this?' she asked in irritation, as she rocked Luke gently in her arms then placed him back on the floor by Gideon.

Rita glanced around at the half decorated room and could not hold in her laughter. 'By not drinkin' wine and readin'' she advised, then took a large sip of her drink.

Gail narrowed her eyes at her friend, then began to laugh herself. This was an impossible job and she was only doing this for Caleb's benefit.

'Why don't you get Lucas to help?' Rita asked, knowing she would never attempt this task on her own.

'Because he'd only use the tinsel to tie me up and create an entirely different distraction' Gail advised, then laughed when she saw the look of horror on Rita's face.

'If Ben tried to rope me into them shenanigans, I'd put a stop to it instantly' Rita stated in a judgemental tone. 'I don't know how you put up with him, you're just so different'

Gail rolled her eyes at the comment and shook her head. 'We're not as different as you think and I'd appreciate it if you didn't judge my husband in our home' she advised, then knelt down a pulled a piece of red tinsel out of Luke's hand before he could place it in his mouth.

Rita watched as Luke let out a frustrated scream when his tinsel was taken away and shook her head. She would not allow Lucy to play with such a thing in case she choked on it and could not believe Gail was allowing such a thing with Luke, not to mention the dogs that were sat close to him.

'I'd also appreciate you not judging my parenting skills' Gail said knowingly, reading the look on Rita's face.

Rita's eyes opened wide at being caught, then she relaxed when Gail did not appear to take offence and let out a long sigh. 'Sorry, I'm just so tired with having to watch Lucy while Ben's at work. I don't mean to judge, it's just the Sheriff is so...well...you know you're just so nice and I don't get how you deal with the way he is'

Gail narrowed her eyes at Rita for a moment, then let out a small laugh. Everyone in Trinity believed they knew the real Lucas Buck and her for that matter, the truth of the matter was that she had behaved worse than Lucas had in the past 6 months and he had to reign her in. It would be amusing to see how her friend would react if she let her darkness shine through, then she could witness how truly alike they were.

Gideon let out a loud bark when he sensed his Master was about to do something she would regret, then settled back down next to Luke when her urge appeared to disappear.

Gail glanced at Gideon curiously for a moment, her loyal protector in more ways than one and smiled lovingly before turning her attention back to Rita. 'My husband is a good man, he's loyal, devoted to me and our family and would go hell and back to get me whatever I needed. We're the same him and you'd do well to remember that when you start judging his behaviour' she advised, then started walking slowly around the Study to figure out where she was up to with the decorations.

Rita rolled her eyes at her own ignorance. 'I didn't mean to offend you...' she started.

'You didn't' Gail interrupted, purposely cutting the sentence short and not caring enough to be offended.

Rita watched her friend carefully and felt guilty for letting herself into their home just to speak out of turn. 'This is a big place, need some help?' she asked, trying to make amends.

Gail glanced around the room and let out a small laugh. 'I guess choosing to take on this colossal project myself may not have been the most sensible decision I've ever made' she shrugged, then turned towards Rita and they both laughed.

Rita stared at the box of decorations, then turned towards her friend. 'This ain't gonna cut it you know?' she asked.

Gail glanced at the small box of decorations and let out a long sigh. 'You don't think I can get away with just one piece of tinsel in each room? I well thought I had this covered' she joked, then picked up Luke when he tried to climb over an unfazed Gideon to get to the fireplace and held him securely to her chest.

'Come on, I doubt Santa will come for such a lack luster effort' Rita laughed, then picked up Lucy and signalled for Gail to follow her out of the house.

Gail had no desire to go anywhere; however, she was happy for an excuse not to decorate and followed Rita, leaving her two dogs laying comfortably by the fireplace.

* * *

Caleb stared out of the window excitedly when they pulled up at Jackson's Pharmaceuticals. He knew his cousin would not approve of their detour when she was expecting them home for dinner; however, his Fathers job fascinated him and he could not wait to watch him in action.

Lucas sensed Caleb's intrigue and excitement, it made him remember how he used to feel when he was a Deputy and it made him smile. This was nothing but a routine visit to pick up the local dim witted deviant, who was unable to control his delinquent behaviour; however, Lucas wanted to make this something to remember for his son and he would happily make Carl Dobson the scapegoat, if it meant his eldest was entertained.

Ben got out of the car and felt his heart sink into his chest when he spotted the look of malice in Lucas' eyes. He cursed himself for lulling himself into a false sense of security just because his boss had appeared to settle down with his family. Lucas would never change and had he have realised this earlier, he would have tried to drop them off before heading down here.

Caleb got out of the car and shot Ben a curious look, sensing his unease. He stopped in his tracks for a moment, not liking the worry coming off of the man; however, when Lucas placed a stern hand on his shoulder, he shrugged off his curiosity over Ben and followed his Father obediently.

There was a strong smell that Caleb did not care for when he entered the Store, it reminded him of when Gail scrubbed their kitchen clean after Luke threw up on the counter. He tried his best not to inhale too deeply; however, the strong smell was sticking in his nose and he began to taste it in his throat.

'It's safe to say you ain't goin' into the medical profession son' Lucas joked, sensing Caleb's discomfort at the strong smell and pushed him gently down the aisle.

Caleb continued to walk forward and spotted the dented bottle of bleach on the floor, the liquid was pouring out of a small hole and Caleb now understood why the smell was so strong.

'What else do you see son?' Lucas asked curiously, as he signalled Ben to hold back and give them some space.

Caleb surveyed his surroundings carefully, he had been in here with Gail before and he was trying to spot anything that appeared out of place. When nothing caught his attention, he turned towards Lucas and shot him an apologetic look.

Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head, this lesson was not going to be over so soon and he was willing to stay here as long as it took. He leaned down and placed his hands on Caleb's shoulders, turning him to face him head on. 'Close your eyes, focus your mind, let go of all other thoughts and allow yourself to feel' he whispered, then turned Caleb around and kept his grip on his shoulders.

Caleb inhaled deeply and gently closed his eyes. He focused on his breath, feeling of his chest rising and falling, then allowed himself to relax into his Fathers grip. When his mind cleared of all wandering thoughts, he opened his eyes slowly and glanced around the room. His vision focused on a smear of blood on the corner of a white shelf a few yards ahead of them and he felt Lucas release his hold on him, allowing him to walk forward to survey what he had found.

Lucas watched closely as his son worked, there was no danger here and if Carl chose to make some then he was ready to take the reins. This was just a lesson in observation really, he had spotted the blood as soon as they entered the Store; however, his senses were finely tuned and it was about time he allowed Caleb to focus his own senses. He had been so distracted with Gail and her darkness that he had neglected his son, that stopped now and he was ready to provide him with his full attention.

Caleb bent down to examine the blood, careful not to touch anything. He opened his mind and listened closely for any sounds that would be out of place, keeping an eye on the area surrounding him. The smudge indicated someone may be hurt; however, he could not see an injured person. He was about to turn to his Father for assistance when he caught the faint sound of scratching and slowly walked towards the back of the Store.

Lucas followed close behind Caleb, still indicating Ben to hold back. His son appeared to be enjoying the responsibility of being in charge of this investigation and he was using his senses wisely.

Caleb came up to the long counter and went to jump on it to see what he would find; however, he stopped himself when he felt his minds eye open. A strange sensation came over him and he was suddenly aware of the sound of breathing in the room. He sensed Ben at the front of the Store, Lucas was behind him and his own breath was calm. Suddenly he picked up on quiet quick breaths from behind the counter and he began to sneak slowly to the opening by the right wall. He inhaled deeply to calm his nerves, then glanced around the corner slowly and caught sight of a man covered in blood holding a wound to his stomach.

Caleb shot Lucas a panicked glance then rushed around the counter, before Lucas had time to grab him. Caleb believed he was doing the right thing in assisting the injured man, until he felt the mans hand grip his arm and a small knife was pressed against his neck.

'You bring kid's to the party now Sheriff?' Carl laughed, gripping the boy to steady himself and pressing the knife closer to his neck.

Lucas stared at Carl coldly, he had not intended Caleb to rush in like he had and cursed himself for allowing Carl to take the upper hand. He was about to step in when he spotted the dark glint in his Caleb eyes. Lucas allowed his twin to come to the surface; however, he kept him in standby while he allowed his son a little time to work.

Caleb sensed Lucas was ready to step in; however, he did not want that. This had turned into something he had not expected and he felt a sudden urge to impress his Father. 'You gonna kill me with that thing?' he asked innocently and waited for the injured man to respond.

Carl had not expected the boy to speak up and took in a sharp intake of breath at the surprise. The boy should be shaking in his sneakers; however, he appeared to be calm and that caused Carl to feel uneasy. 'If that Sheriff don't get outta the way, I'm gonna jab it in your gut and watch you bleed out' he lied, trying to sound tough.

Caleb sensed the lie and forced a laugh to hide his discomfort. 'Right now he has you on stealin', you hurt me with that thing and I guarantee you'll wish you were dead when he's through with you'

Lucas continued to stare deep into Carl's eyes, sensing Caleb's play. 'He ain't wrong Carl, that boy there's my son and if you dare to touch a hair on his body then a whole host of hell will rain down on you' Lucas warned.

Carl felt his courage waiver; however, he forced himself to stand tall. 'This ain't your son, everyone knows it's Caleb Temple an ain't no-one care about him...I'd be doin' him a favour with what he's had to go through' he said, trying to catch Lucas in a lie.

'He's my Daddy, he took my Momma before she got crazy and here I am...Imagine what he'll do to your Momma if you hurt me' Caleb stated, sensing the man's resolve weaken.

Ben stood at the front of the Store watching the spectacle in disbelief, pointing his gun at Carl. He did not know what Lucas was playing at; however, he was ready to take Carl out if this went sideways.

Lucas sensed Ben's reservations and was about to take control of the situation; however, Carl dropped the knife and collapsed onto the floor, leaving Caleb stood over him. He smiled at his boy, proud that he had not panicked under the pressure and approached the pair slowly. 'Good call Carl, you don't wanna give me any reason to go knockin' on that pretty Momma's house of yours' he smiled devilishly and watched as Carl began to shake.

'You gonna arrest him?' Caleb asked as he stared down at Carl curiously, wondering what ever possessed the man to chose a life like this.

'You earned that honour son, you did all the work here' Lucas smiled, then signalled for Ben to come down and pass over his handcuffs.

Caleb stared up at his Father, happy that he had made him proud. When Ben handed him the handcuffs he could not contain his excitement and began reading Carl his rights, like Lucas had taught him previously.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Gail sat in the corner of Jimmy's Bar, with Luke in his car seat beside her. An uncomfortable sensation had come over her for a few minutes, indicating her attention was required elsewhere; however, the feeling passed quickly and she continued to focus on her present company.

Rita tried to ignore the judgemental stares of the people around her and held Izzy close to her chest. She could not believe that they had ended up in a bar with their children and hated the way people were looking at her.

'It's not nice being judged by people who have no idea about you is it?' Gail asked bluntly, happy that her plan of teaching Rita a lesson had worked.

Rita could feel the eyes on her and really wanted to go. 'Fine, I get it...Can we go now please?' she snapped, wanting to be anywhere else but here.

Gail laughed and gently took Luke out of his car seat. 'You can go whenever you want, I'm waiting for my drink' she said sweetly and winked at Jimmy when he personally delivered her hot apple wine, which he had ordered in just for her at Christmas.

Selena Coombs sauntered over to the table in the corner of the bar, to see if the whispers were true. When she spotted Gail and Rita with their babies, she could not hold in her laughter. 'Wow, well this sure looks like a party' she smiled and pulled up a chair.

'I don't remember inviting you to join us' Gail stated and sat Luke on the table, to enable him to view his surroundings.

'I doubt I'm your problem in this crowded room of gossips' Selena advised and took a sip of her martini.

Gail smiled lovingly at her son, then stood up and held him high above her head. 'These fine people don't pose me any problem do you?' she asked loudly and smiled when cheers came from all around her.

'I guess you're the perfect showman' Selena shook her head at the drunken loafs around her.

Gail turned her attention to Selena and smiled. 'What can I say? I'm a natural and people love me'

'I wonder how much poor old Mayor John loved you?' Selena asked sweetly, fishing for a reaction.

Gail felt herself become tense, then forced a reassuring smile for Luke. 'I'm sure he loved me about as much as he loved you' she replied, rubbing her nose affectionately on her sons.

'You see, I just wonder why your husband felt the need to seek my help?' Selena asked curiously, knowing Gail would not want to talk about this in front of Rita.

Gail felt Rita's eyes on her and inhaled deeply, in an attempt to remain calm. Lucas had promised her that this was done, the funeral had gone without any problems and she was finally starting to put this behind her.

'I wonder who will take his place? Trinity's always had a Mayor' Rita interjected, sensing her friends irritation and attempting to assist.

'I bet the lovely Mrs Buck will find out before us unworthy people do' Selena mocked.

Gail tired quickly of Selena's company and her eyes turned cold. 'Unworthy isn't the term I'd use, damned has a better ring to it' she stated, as she stared deep into Selena's eyes.

Selena sensed Gail's turn and smiled. 'Now now Mrs Buck, this poor woman before you is undeserving of that title. I bet she hasn't stepped a foot out of line in her whole life, not like you and I'

Gail did not take her eyes off Selena's and just smiled. 'Rita's not the issue here and never will be with the choices she's made in life. How did you come around to whoring yourself out for my husband?' Gail asked sweetly, her smile growing wider when she saw the anger in Selena's eyes.

'Come on Gail, this ain't the place...' Rita started, then closed her mouth when Gail's finger came up to silence her.

Selena continued to stare at her nemesis and forced a smile. 'How do you feel about your husband exploiting woman for his personal gain? I'm sure the feminist in you has a lot to say about that?' she asked cattily.

'The feminist in me wants to know how you could let yourself be used in such a way, when your love clearly had no intention of remaining loyal?' Gail asked unfazed.

'He was very loyal until you stole him' Selena spat out venomously.

Gail could not contain her laughter at the remark and shook her head. 'I didn't steal him, he followed me around like a stray puppy begging to be let in. Clearly he had no loyalty to you at all'

Selena inhaled deeply, in an attempt to control her anger and remain calm. 'He was loyal to me just fine until you showed up'

'Is that so? I do believe you're kidding yourself Miss Coombs' Gail smiled smugly.

'Meaning what?' Selena asked, irritated.

'Meaning I happen to know you weren't the only woman he was servicing all those nights. Don't tell me you really believed that he loved you and you were the only one for him?' she asked, amused at the obvious hurt she was causing.

'That's enough' Rita ordered, not impressed at her friends cruel turn.

Selena shook her head in disgust, then got up and stormed out of the bar. Rita let out a long sigh as she watched her go and shot Gail an unimpressed look.

'What? It's not my fault she's in love with my husband' Gail stated, then took a large sip of her drink.

Rita picked up Izzy and stood up. 'Well I ain't got this whole bar on my side, so I'm just a woman in a bar drinkin' with her baby...I'm outta here Gail' Rita said and left Gail alone.

'Peace at last' Gail sighed to Luke and cradled him in her arms, then routed out her mobile telephone and called herself a lift.

* * *

Lucas sat in the reception area of the Sheriff's Station, while Ben wrote up his report with Caleb. His son had wanted to see this thing through to the end, so he had agreed to allow him some time before heading home. He had attempted to call home to inform his love of their lateness; however, she did not pick up. Lucas began to wonder about her activities of the evening and was growing impatient at the length of time the report was taking.

'Alright, so arrest made by one Caleb Temple. Pop your John Hancock there and we're good to go' Ben smiled at Caleb and handed him the report.

Caleb smiled excitedly and signed the form. 'Do we take him to the cells now?' he asked, staring at Carl's deflated body on the chair in the corner.

'Ben takes him to the cells and we go home' Lucas advised as he stood up and signalled for Caleb to follow him.

'But I did the arrest so I gotta do it!' Caleb exclaimed, not wanting to leave yet.

Lucas shot him a look of warning and stared amused when Caleb stared back at him defiantly.

'It's alright Lucas, you can wait here while I take him with Caleb' Ben shrugged and waited for his boss' approval.

Lucas really wanted to get home to Gail; however, he had allowed Caleb to be involved in this and it was unfair to pull him out of the game now. 'Fine, but don't be long or your cousin will have both our hides' he advised, then headed towards his office for some peace and quiet.

Lucas opened his office door and let out and irritated sigh when he saw Selena sat in his chair with her feet on his desk. He slammed the door closed and shot her a look of warning to get her feet down.

'Am I deserving of a punishment Sheriff?' she asked seductively.

'You ain't deservin' of my time, now get out' Lucas ordered and waited impatiently for her to get up from his chair.

Selena remained seated for a moment, then rolled her eyes and got up. 'You're no fun anymore' she pouted, as she sauntered towards him.

Lucas looked her up and down, spending a moment to admire her long legs and mini skirt, then let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'I'm plenty of fun with my wife, I don't need what you're offerin'' he advised, stepping past her and sitting down on his chair.

'What I'm offering is information on that perfect wife of yours, or would you rather not know what she's been up to this evening?' Selena asked, knowing Lucas could not resist keeping tracks on his property.

Lucas had attempted to sense Gail's location; however, she had closed herself off to him. He found himself intrigued by the offer and chose to allow Selena to stay for a moment, if only to pander to his possessiveness of his wife. 'Alright, spill Teacher. I ain't got all night'

'What's in it for me?' she asked, licking her lips expectantly.

'You get to keep breathin'' Lucas sighed, then lay back in his chair and closed his eyes in frustration.

Selena sensed his impatience and knew better that to make him wait. Seen as she had his attention, she took this moment to confront him about what Gail had told her. 'She said some things...'

'That I don't give a damn about, next' Lucas interrupted bluntly.

Selena let out a small laugh and shook her head at how easily he disregarded her feelings. 'She was drinking at Jimmy's Bar with your precious baby boy' she smiled smugly, wanting to hurt him.

Lucas sat up in his chair and narrowed his eyes at her. 'And why would she be doin' that?' he asked, not believing the information she was giving him.

'Maybe you're not satisfying her as much as you think you are and she's not cut out for motherhood' Selena stated cattily and stormed out of the office, sensing his distrust of her.

Lucas shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation. Why would she be at a bar with his son? It did not make sense. He picked up the telephone and tried calling home again; however, there was still no answer. Without any further hesitation, he walked to the cells and dragged Caleb out of the Sheriff's Station.

'Where are we goin'?' Caleb asked confused, as Lucas threw him towards the passenger side of his car.

'To find our family' Lucas snapped, then turned on the engine and headed towards Jimmy's bar.

* * *

Gail stood in the Hobby Store staring at all of the different Christmas decorations on the shelves. She had decided to get back to the task at hand and she was in desperate need of a lot more decorations; however, not being a fan of this holiday made this harder than she had thought it would be.

'Well you definitely need this' Billy said as he approached her holding Luke and a piece of mistletoe, then kissed her on the cheek when he held it above her head.

Gail stared at him blankly, then looked up at the mistletoe and let out a long sigh. 'My husband is going to love that you just did that' she advised unimpressed.

'Then he's really gonna love that I did this' he said with a cheeky grin on his face, then bent down and kissed her the lips.

Gail pulled away a moment too late after Billy's lips touched hers and closed her eyes when she heard the familiar voice behind her.

'What the hell?' Lucas asked, unable to contain his anger at seeing another man kiss his wife when he entered the Store.

Caleb sensed his Fathers rage, then went to step between him and Gail; however, his cousin shook her head and indicated for him to remain where he was.

Gail sensed Lucas' rage and could not find her voice to talk him down.. She was about to step between him and Billy, then the unexpected happened.

'Come on man it's Christmas!' Billy laughed, then held the mistletoe above Lucas' head and kissed him on the lips.

Both Caleb and Gail stared in shock at what had just happened and the surprised look on Lucas' face, then burst into laughter when Lucas smiled and shook his head in disbelief at his friends stupidity.

'You ain't gettin' enough from Selena that you gotta come lookin' for it from us?' Lucas mocked, unsure how to take what had just happened.

'Maybe I want some of that Buck love' Billy joked, then started chasing Caleb around the Store with the mistletoe while he still held Luke.

'Careful!' Gail called at Billy, then turned towards Lucas and gave him an unsure smile.

Lucas regarded her suspiciously for a moment, then smiled at her reassuringly and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 'Do I need to be worried?' he asked, running his thumb gently over her lips.

'I think I need to be more worried about my boys' Gail stated, as she watched Billy continue to chase Caleb.

'Jimmy's bar?' he asked judgmentally.

'A robbery?' she asked knowingly and they both laughed at each others actions of the evening.

'Alright, so we're both bad parents. Why don't we go find the stock room and punish each other while the kids are busy' Lucas whispered in her ear and nipped at it teasingly.

Gail rolled her eyes and let out a long sigh. 'Because your stupid mammoth Mansion won't decorate itself sweetheart' she advised, then pulled out of his grasp and began to review the decorations again.

'Our Mansion' he corrected, then let out a long exasperated breath. The truth was that although he was willing to do anything for her, he had hoped she had sorted everything to do with this pointless holiday so he did not have to be involved.

'And I will, begrudgingly' she said, reading his mind.

Lucas sensed her irritation and thought for a moment. He smiled at his own genius and put his fingers to his mouth, then whistled loud. 'Hey Romeo' he called, then smiled as Billy stopped and turned towards him.

Gail watched curiously as Lucas threw Billy the keys to their house and began dragging her out of the Store.

'Enjoy the kids tonight, I expect them in bed at a reasonable time. Make sure you help Caleb with the decorations' he called and excited the Store quickly without waiting for a response.

Gail's mouth dropped open when she was dragged out into the cold night and she laughed when she heard Caleb's excitement at being able to put up the decorations. 'You're evil' she laughed, obediently getting into his car when he opened the door for her.

'And you're cruel' he smiled, knowing what she had said to Selena and squeezed her knee affectionately as he started up the car then drove away before Billy could catch them.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Lucas pulled up at Gail's parents old summer cabin, which they had visited once before when she was pursuing her parents deaths. He smiled as she stared at the cabin distrustfully and stroked her leg reassuringly, then waited for her to acknowledge him.

'What are we doing here?' she asked confused. Gail still had a lot of unanswered questions relating to her parents deaths and this place only reminded her of her previous suspicions.

'I was gonna wait until Christmas for this, but then remembered who we were' he smiled, getting out of the car and walking around to the passenger side to open her door.

Gail stared suspiciously as he held out his hand to her and shook her head. He was such a gentleman; however, she found it hard to trust him when he behaved like this, as it was like he was trying to hide something dark under all that charm. 'Who are we?' she asked feigning ignorance, as she took his hand and allowed him to assist her out of the car.

'Soul mates who don't believe in this time of year' he advised, then slowly led her towards the cabin and ignored her tenseness.

'Speak for yourself, I for one am looking forward to sitting on Santa's knee' she joked, trying to hide her discomfort at the situation.

Lucas stopped and turned towards her as they reached the weather beaten door, then cupped her chin gently in his hand and placed a soft kiss on her lips. 'Will you trust me?' he asked, wanting to put an end to her unease. It had taken a lot for him to open himself up like this and he did not appreciate her distrust.

Gail stared deep into his eyes and allowed herself to get lost in his stare, she could not hide her true feelings when he got like this. 'Always' she whispered and savoured the taste of his tongue in her mouth when he kissed her passionately.

Lucas felt himself getting distracted and gave himself a mental shake, before gently pushing her in front of him and signalling for her to take the lead.

Gail obediently stood in front of him and tried to open the door to the cabin. She had to give it a hard push as it was stiff and when it finally opened, the smell of the fourth of July hit her and she felt tears begin to form in her eyes when the vision of her Mother here flowed through her mind.

Lucas placed his hands on her hips and pulled her back into him, he nuzzled his head into her neck and kissed it softly to help her relax. He smiled to himself when she leaned back into him and let out a low moan. 'You're broken when it comes to your family, I don't want that rubbin' off on our boy' he whispered in her ear.

'So you brought me here to fix me?' she asked in disbelief.

'I bought a piece of your past to help you get closure. I also bought your old family home and the burnt out Trinity Guardian so you can do with them what you will' he shrugged, not understanding her scolding tone.

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'Why don't you just buy up the Cemetery my parents are buried in, then you'd own my whole life and would have full control of me' she said sarcastically.

'Don't be so so silly, I'll have your Mom moved to the family plot but Peter stays put' he advised and rubbed her shoulders softly.

Gail could not believe he was oblivious to his control issues and took a deep breath to calm herself. 'You can't just go around buying my past' she tried to reason.

'Why not? I own everythin' of my family and we're family now' he stated and pushed her gently into the cabin, sensing her stalling tactics.

Gail was about to protest to his supposed logic when she saw the mattress on the floor and candles lit around the room. She had no idea how he managed to set the atmosphere in such a romantic way when he had been with her for the past hour; however, she applauded his efforts. 'You're unbelievable' she said, taken aback by the set up.

'I'll take that as a compliment Mrs Buck' he smiled, then reached around to unbutton her cardigan and slowly removed it.

Gail inhaled deeply and let the familiar scent of her past engulf her, she remained obediently still while Lucas carefully pulled down her long skirt and removed her panties. When he began to run his lips and tongue slowly up the inside of her thigh, she let out a loud moan and allowed him to control the moment.

Lucas sensed her unwavering loyalty to him and pulled her down to the mattress. He stood up and undressed before her, then lay down and slowly ran his hands over her body. His desire for her was so strong that he could not stand to delay the inevitable any longer; therefore, he disregarded his usual foreplay, parted her legs and entered her fully. He kept his movements slow, ensuring he pushed as far as he could inside of her before he pulled back. Her satisfied moans turned him on even more and he forced himself to take her gently, wanting to feel every burst of pleasure when he moved inside of her.

Gail was so emotionally drained just being in this place that she had no fight left in her. She allowed him to take her tenderly, disregarding the suspicions that tried to take form in her mind about his involvement with her parents deaths and just focused on the feeling of him inside of her.

'Nothin' matters but us love, let it all go' he whispered in her ear, then let out a loud moan when he thrust deep inside of her.

Gail scraped her nails down his back and begged him not to stop. When their climax came together she called out his name and told him that she loved him. She bit her bottom lip and tensed as soon as the words left her mouth; however, the words were already out and she cursed herself for allowing herself to lose control.

Lucas called out her name and smiled at her declaration, he was amazed that he had finally managed to get her to lose control enough to admit her true feelings and kissed her passionately without a saying a word. He rested on her chest whilst he remained inside of her, allowing the words to sink in. He knew better than to bring attention to her slip of the tongue and waited patiently for her relax, he was not finished with her yet and the declaration only added to his desire.

Gail closed her eyes and waited for some smug comment about the illusion of free will or something similar; however, nothing came and she allowed herself to relax. She knew they were not done yet and he was clearly waited for her to regain her composure, so she rolled him over and straddled him, then began to ride him slowly. 'See now lover, as I'm not a control freak, I can't keep this slow pace' she smiled, then began to ride him hard and fast.

Lucas let out a satisfied laugh and slapped her behind playfully, before gripping his hips tight. 'I guess we better hurry before our boys burn the house down with Billy in it' he joked, then sat up and began sucking her breasts teasingly.

Gail laughed and let out a loud moan, then sped up her movements. This was a nice break from their stressful lives; however, they were required to return back to reality at some point and it was not fair to expect Billy to have the children overnight.

* * *

Caleb stood on a ladder in the Foyer, attempting to hang the star decoration on the top of the large Christmas tree Gail had bought. He had left Billy decorating the Study while watching Luke and had decided to take ownership of the main entrance of the house. He had made his Father proud today and he was hoping to continue doing so by this gesture.

Suddenly a strong gust of wind blew the ladder and Caleb let out a loud yell as he began to fall. Before he hit the hard marble floor, he felt strong arms catch him and looked up at Lucas thankfully.

'Did no one teach you that you never climb a ladder without a spotter?' Lucas snapped, concerned for what might have happened to his son.

'Who was around to teach him anything?' Gail asked abruptly, then stroked Caleb's cheek softly and smiled at him warmly when Lucas placed him in a standing position.

'I didn't mean to do anythin' bad...' Caleb started, shaken by the fall and the reaction of his Father.

'And you didn't, we both appreciate you helping with the decorating' Gail interrupted, sensing his upset and placed her arm around his shoulder.

'Next time don't do go up there on your own son' Lucas ordered, then ruffled his hair and smiled reassuringly at him.

Caleb smiled back at Lucas, then gave Gail a hug before running upstairs to get changed into his pyjamas.

'Do you have to be so abrupt with him?' she asked Lucas, not understanding how he can allow Caleb to assist in the apprehension of a robber but scold him for climbing a ladder on his own.

'He was with me the whole time for that' he said defensively, reading her mind. 'Had he have fallen and cracked his skull open on the marble floor, who would be at fault?'

'You for dragging me away from my duties' she scolded sarcastically, then slapped his behind playfully and went to find Luke.

Lucas shook his head and began to pace the Foyer curiously, there were no windows open and they had already closed the door before the strange wind knocked the ladder. He sensed Gail approaching with Billy and Luke; therefore, he brushed off his suspicions so not to worry her and went to help her with his youngest.

Gail sensed the change in Lucas and stared at him suspiciously, wondering what he was hiding. When he just smiled back at her and placed a soft kiss on her lips, she shook her head in mock disapproval and left them while she got ready for bed.

* * *

Caleb awoke in the middle of the night with sweat dripping off of him. He had been having the strangest dream about a dark figure following him and was struggling to escape. He had been running through a wooded area which seemed familiar; however, it had not taken long for the figure to catch up to him and when it grabbed his arm, he felt a burning sensation on his skin which caused him to wake up.

It had been a long while since he had suffered from bad dreams and he wondered if this was due to the excitement of arresting a man. He let out a long breath, then inhaled deeply in an attempt to slow his heart rate and glanced around his bedroom aimlessly while he calmed down. His heart skipped a beat when his eyes stopped on a dark shadow in the corner of the room and he stared at it for a moment. He was not fully awake; however, he could have sworn that the shadow just moved.

The bedroom door creaked open slowly and low growls came from Gideon as he skulked into the room. The dog jumped up onto Caleb's bed and lay down protectively at his feet, watching the corner of the room.

Caleb felt a wave of ease flow through him when Gideon lay on his feet and cursed himself for allowing his imagination to play tricks on him. He lay back down on his pillow and drifted back off to sleep, knowing his cousins protector was on hand if required.

When he sensed the boy had drifted back off to sleep, Gideon jumped off the bed and walked slowly towards the corner, then barred his teeth in warning at the dark figure staring back at him.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

A few hectic days had passed and Gail lay in bed under the covers, attempting to get some rest. Lucas had already woken her up for his morning fun before work and she had chosen to remain in bed when he left, as Luke appeared peaceful in his cot. When Rocky bit the bottom of the quilt and began pulling it off the bed, Gail let out a loud sigh and shook her head. Who knew she would end up with such a mundane family life at Christmas?

A pounding on the door woke Luke and he began to cry, Rocky rushed to the cot and peered at the baby in an attempt to cheer him up. Gail smiled when Rocky poked his head through the bars of the crib and let Luke play with him. Usually Gideon would be the one making his protective presence known; however, he appeared glued to Caleb come nightfall these days.

The knocks became louder and Gail put on her dressing gown, picked up Luke and slowly walked down the stairs to see who was bothering them. When she opened the door, she shook her head at a smiling Merlyn and stepped out of the way when she barged in with her dog Spirit.

'It's Christmas eve!' Merlyn said excitedly and rubbed her nose on Luke's playfully.

Gail shook her head at her sickeningly happy cousin and made her way to the kitchen to make a coffee. 'I was sleeping you know?' she asked irritated, then handed Luke to Merlyn while she found them some mugs.

'You're as bad as Matt, he just wants me to leave him alone too. God forbid I wanna spend some time with my family' Merlyn sighed, then pulled a tongue at Luke and smiled when he giggled.

'It's not that I want you to leave me alone, I want everyone to leave me alone' Gail sighed, then ran her hand through her hair at how much energy both Luke and Merlyn had.

'I think you're Momma's being a scrooge...Maybe if she didn't let your Daddy tire her out so much, she'd be takin' you out to see all the festive fun' Merlyn said to Luke in a mock judgemental tone.

Gail rolled her eyes at the comment, then glanced at Gideon suspiciously when he skulked into the room and lay down at her feet. 'I'm clearly an awful Mother, how about you play Mother for the day and teach me how it's done?' Gail asked sarcastically and threw Gideon a biscuit.

'Maybe I will, it's about time this little fella shared in the Christmas joy' Merlyn smiled and lifted Luke above her head, then began spinning him around slowly.

Gail smiled, not believing she had managed to score a few hours to herself and picked up the telephone in the kitchen.

'Who you callin'?' Merlyn asked suspiciously.

'Your chauffeur, I know someone just as excited about this holiday as you are' Gail smiled, then called the number for Juniper House Reception.

* * *

Lucas sat in his office watching Caleb read the weekly report Ben produces for him. Caleb had become fascinated with his job and Lucas was beginning to suspect that his son wanted to follow in his footsteps. He was not sure his love would be as happy as he was about that fact; however, he would assist the boy in any way he required.

Caleb was surprised when Lucas offered to take him to work this morning and was happy his Father trusted him to review Ben's report. After the run in with Carl Dobson he could not stop thinking about the law and was grateful Lucas was giving him the opportunity to help out.

'Everythin' all square in there bud?' Ben asked, amused at Caleb's interest in their work.

Caleb looked at Lucas for permission to speak freely, then smiled when his Father nodded. 'All's good Deputy, it's a little worryin' that robbery is up from the previous week though'

Lucas smiled proudly at his boy and stood up to stretch his legs. 'It's Christmas son, not every Father has enough money to treat his children'

Ben nodded in agreement. 'It's not good but some people would do anythin' to make sure their family had somethin' nice at Christmas'

'That's awful' Caleb said, disappointed in himself for not realising the reason for the increase. Gage never used to get them anything, he had become accustomed to nice things since his cousin came to Town; however, he never used to have that before and it made him sad to think of all the poor families.

'It's alright son' Ben reassured him. 'Everyone gets by and it ain't for you to be concernin' yourself with another mans life'

'Well said Deputy. Those words of wisdom have gotten you an early finish, go on now' Lucas waved Ben out, then perched on the desk in front of Caleb.

'Seriously?' Ben asked in disbelief.

'You want me to change my mind on Christmas eve?' Lucas asked bluntly.

Ben shook his head and left the office quickly. 'Merry Christmas!' he called back at them, before grabbing his things and heading out before Lucas changed his mind.

Lucas smiled and turned his attention back to Caleb. 'You alright son?' he asked, sensing the boys sadness.

'It's just all those poor people...'

'Are none of your concern' Lucas interrupted and cupped his chin gently in his hand to make him look into his eyes. 'You've been there, you survived and you deserve what you have now. It's not like you've been privileged all your life'

'Were you?' Caleb asked, suspecting he was.

Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'One day you'll know the sacrifices I've had to make to get where I am. Yes our family has money, but it comes with a cost'

'Like what?' Caleb asked curiously.

'Darkness son, that's all I can tell you...a lot of it might I add' Lucas sighed.

Caleb thought for a moment, then pulled his chin out of Lucas' grasp and let out a long sigh. 'Like from my dreams?' he asked, staring nervously at his hands.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at the question and watched Caleb carefully. 'What dreams? You ain't told me about any darkness'

Caleb stood up and began pacing the office. 'They started a few nights ago, it's nothin' but my imagination and Gideon stays with me now so it's fine'

'Gideon watches over you at night by choice?' Lucas asked, trying to hide the concern from his tone. He sensed something was out of place but had just assumed it was something to do with Gail's erratic urges, Gideon's involvement in this was not good.

'He came in when it first started and just watches the corner of the room' Caleb shrugged, not sure why Lucas was making a big deal out of this.

Lucas let out a frustrated breath and shook his head at his own lack of knowledge of what was occurring in his home. 'We gotta go, come on' he ordered, then released his staff early for Christmas and tasked Floyd with locking up.

* * *

Gail wandered the long corridors of the house with Rocky and Gideon following close behind. It had been a while since she was free to explore this property and she had been sensing a strange presence recently that she wanted to investigate.

She ran her fingers across the old sturdy woodwork on the walls as she passed, this place was outstanding and it never failed to impress her when she managed to delve into the forbidden areas when Lucas was not around. Gail loved this house, she would never admit it to Lucas; however, she felt a strong connection here and she could not imagine being anywhere else.

This place was a mystery to be uncovered and the more time she spent here the more she yearned to explore the deep, dark passages that she sensed were hidden away. As if to confirm her suspicion, a wooden panel on the wall ahead of her creaked open and she stopped instinctively. Rocky bound forward excitedly; however, Gideon rushed in front of him and barked at him, causing him to rush back and cower next to his Master.

Gail shot Gideon a thankful look, then took a deep breath and slowly walked towards the opening. Lucas would not be impressed if he thought she was snooping; however, she lived here and could not help her curiosity. She was not trying to uncover anything bad about him, they were past that. This was about her own peace of mind and she could not resist the urge to explore what she had uncovered.

Gideon let out a warning bark, then remained quiet when Gail shot him an angry glance. She trusted her companion's judgement; however, she was going through the secret opening regardless of his warning and she did not want his loud bark disturbing anything.

Gail entered the opening with Rocky and signalled for Gideon to join them, her protector rushed ahead to survey the area then waited for her to reach him. This passage was dark and Gail preyed a spider did not drop on her as she would not be able to control her scream. She took a deep breath in an attempt to remain calm and walked towards a dim light that appeared at the bottom of the passage.

When Gail pushed through the fake wall, she entered a large room that she had never seen before and it was lit with candles. Who lit the candles to illuminate this untouched room was anyones guess and she shook that uneasy thought from her mind. Gail surveyed her surroundings and came to the conclusion that this was someones Study. She had seen Lucas' and his Mothers; therefore, it was a safe guess that this was Malcolm's, his Father's den.

Gail felt the excitement grow within her, she had not been told of this area and she wondered what she would find in the multitude of drawers around the room. She walked slowly towards the large green velvet curtains, close to the proper door to this room and pulled open the curtains. When the dust settled and she was able to see out into the side of the property through the large window, she let out a small scream as she saw a dark figure staring back at her.

'That's no way to welcome a guest into your home Princess' Peter Emory stated smugly, as he sat comfortably on the chair behind the desk in the middle of the office.

Gail felt herself begin to shake and pointed at him in shock. 'You're not real' she said angrily and shook her head at the cruel tricks her mind was playing on her.

'Oh he's as real as you and I, Daughter in Law' Malcolm smiled, as he walked through the window and entered his Study.

Gail's eyes grew wide as she watched their Fathers laughing together. She had experienced visions of Malcolm and how he had treated Lucas' Mother in the past; however, seeing the man up close like this, he could not hide his cruelty.

'Says you baby girl!' Peter chimed in amused, 'You allowed your tainted self to stand by while that pretty School Teachers Father was killed by his own drugs, you set your mutt on god knows how many people and you jointly murdered poor old Mayor John. You really think you can judge Malcolm here?'

Gail continued to shake her head in disbelief and backed up towards the opening she had came in through. This could not be real, her Father was just a voice in her head and she was refusing to even acknowledge Malcolm. Gail blinked and Malcolm was right in front of her face, she shoved him hard and stared confused as he tumbled to the floor like a living person would.

Without any further hesitation, she closed the opening and ran back towards the main area of the house with Gideon and Rocky following close behind. The last thing she heard was Malcolm and Peter laughing whilst singing We Wish You A Merry Christmas.

* * *

Lucas rushed home and opened his minds eye to locate Gail as soon as he entered the property. He sensed she was in the Study and went to her, concerned over what Caleb had been seeing. When he saw her sat peacefully on his Grandfather chair breastfeeding Luke, he let out a sigh of relief and knelt down beside her in front of the fireplace.

Gail had been staring into the fireplace, attempting to calm her thoughts after Luke was dropped off by Merlyn. Her cousin had sensed her unease and returned to her instantly; however, Gail convinced her that everything was fine and sent her off to find Matt. Now that her husband was home she was able to relax, knowing he would never allow anything to happen to them.

'Caleb had a bad dream...' Lucas started, then shook his head at his own paranoia and stroked her knee gently.

'You were worried so you came home early on Christmas eve, how sweet' Gail mocked, trying to keep the tremor from her tone.

Lucas glanced up at her and saw how pale she was. He knelt up and brought his face to hers, then stroked her cheek and tried to read her thoughts.

'You don't need to pry into my thoughts to see how I am husband, just ask me' Gail sighed, not having the strength to play any games right now.

Lucas did not like the aura she was giving off and took Luke from her when he finished feeding, then winded him and placed him in his highchair. He turned his attention back to his love and tried to figure out what was different.

'You want to know what's different?' Gail asked knowingly, then stood up and began to pace the room.

Lucas watched her cautiously, sensing her darkness was ready to take control and closed the distance between them. 'I wanna know what's got you so on edge' he advised and took a step back when she let out a laugh unlike her own.

'The in-laws have come up for the holidays...Happy Christmas sweetheart' she said grimly and kissed him forcefully for a moment, then picked up Luke and walked out of the Study.

Lucas stared at her confused for a moment, then heard the faint sound of laughter and singing from deeper within the property and let out an exasperated sigh. 'Happy Christmas' he said irritated to himself, then left the room to go have an in-depth conversation with his love.

-The End-


End file.
